5 Proven Lessons From 10M+ Farm Emails
Email is more than just a communication tool; it is a proven tactic for driving consistent sales and building a professional Farm Brand. Successful Farmers who leverage email increase average order sizes 30%+ by keeping Buyers engaged in their inbox - a place they check every day. To help your Farm ditch the “guesswork”, we shared five lessons Barn2Door has learned after sending over 10+ million emails to Farmers across all 50 states.
"That's one of my favorite things about the entire business, waking up in the morning and checking your email and seeing that you sold $200 worth of stuff while you were sleeping. I mean, your whole day is just like sunshine and roses from that point." - Alex, SC
Lesson #1: Increase Open Rates and Get the First Click
Email is the most effective tactic for driving recurring sales. However, the first crucial step to catapult this success is to ensure the Buyer opens your email. To entice Buyers to read about your high-quality Farm products, use exciting, seasonal, and personal language in your subject lines. This will create an immediate “hook” that entices the Buyer to open your email and read more.
Click-Worthy Subject Lines:
Help us bring our Farm Food to your Front Door! 🚚
Incorporating Emojis: Catch your Buyers' eye immediately by using 1-2 emojis that relate to your content. This can make an email feel more approachable amid a crowded inbox.
John, Reclaim your weekends with Home Delivery 🏡
Name Personalization: Create an emotional appeal with Buyer personalization. Not only does it increase engagement, but it also builds trust, as the Buyer feels recognized by your Farm.
🎁The First 25 Orders get this Farm Treat on their Doorstep
Promo: Using promotions creates a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out), prompting the Buyer to click immediately. Filling up your subscription, seasonal bundles, and delivery spots fast.
Lesson #2: Design for a Mobile-First Experience
In today’s mobile age, it is key to have a mobile-friendly email design. Approximately 80% of all emails are opened and read on mobile devices! To optimize mobile access, focus on tight, concise emails that are to the point and visually eye-catching. A polished, professional look will effectively showcase your Farm to Buyers and strengthen brand recognition. When Buyers consistently recognize your emails, they are far more likely to read all your Farm updates and offerings, leading them to consistent purchasing habits.
Design Recommendations:
Images:
Use high-quality images that won't overpower the email on a mobile device. Photos should be clear, recognizable, and related to the information you are conveying.
Brand Colors:
Using consistent brand colors will keep your emails cohesive, professional, and instantly identifiable to Buyers.
Shop Button:
Increase your click-through rate by 10%+ by placing the “Shop” Button at ‘thumb-length' on the first page (above the fold). This placement puts the button near the middle / top of the email, giving the Buyer immediate access to your online Farm store at first glance.
Lesson #3: Move out of the “Promotions” and “SPAM” Folders
To maximize your success, it is essential to avoid the Promotions and/or Spam folders and optimize your emails to land directly in the Buyer’s Primary Inbox. As appealing as “Gift” or “Reward” can sound to your audience, this type of email language can trigger spam filters. To avoid ‘junk’ folders, it is best not to use impersonal or misleading language. This will increase your open rates and drive traffic to your online webstore, rather than away from your brand.
Tips to Avoid Being ‘junk’:
All CAPS:
Using all CAPS can trigger spam filters because it can appear aggressive and mimic common scam email attempts. Instead, bold 1-2 keywords you want Buyers to focus on (e.g., subscriptions, pick-up locations, delivery sign-up). This effectively grabs the Buyer's attention without flagging the email as spam.
Punctuation/Symbols:
Limit punctuations (e.g., !!!, ??) or symbols (e.g., $$$, ##). Excessive use of punctuation/symbols will not only trigger spam filters but also make your email look unpolished, driving potential Buyers away.
Sales Terminology:
Using sales-type language (e.g., buy now, free gift, BOGO, urgent) will decrease the value of your email. To sell your high-quality products to your Buyers in a more natural way, opt for conversational language (e.g., "Here is a small thank you," "Enjoy Our Farmer’s Choice Bundle") to build Buyer loyalty while still landing in their direct inbox.
Lesson #4: Driving Action with a Call-to-Action
To fully build Buyer loyalty and create new sales, each email should include a clear call-to-action (CTA). Seventy percent (70%) of Americans are influenced by email when making their purchase decisions, which is why it's important to provide content that is valuable to recipients. A CTA is the next step for the Buyer, such as a link to a specific Farm product, a newsletter sign-up, a subscription, or a delivery service.
CTA Recommendations:
Color:
Choose a vibrant CTA color that catches a Buyer’s attention. Picking high-performing colors such as green or red can 2X your click-through rate versus bland colors like white or black.
Text:
Use clear, short descriptions (2-5 words) for CTAs such as “Learn More” or “See Subscriptions.” This gives your buyers a clear, concise reason to interact, often boosting clicks by up to 3X.
Size:
Larger CTA Buttons can often boost click-through rate by 50% or more. Buyers often skim emails, so a large CTA button is more likely to catch their attention.
Lesson #5: Consistency Is Key
Once you have optimized your design, it is crucial to nail down your email send strategy. Buyers are forgetful, making email consistency key to driving sales and increasing average order sizes. Send Buyers reminders about what’s “fresh and available” and remind them why they enjoy the convenience of your products. With so many brands communicating via email, it is important that your Farm stays at the top of your Buyers’ inbox.
Sending Strategies:
3 Touch Point Rule: On average, a Buyer will not take action on the first two emails they receive about a Farm product or service. For delivery, subscription, or herd-share sign-ups, send at least 3 emails to fully capture ideal sales.
Segmenting Lists: Successful Farmers don’t send the same email to everyone. New Buyers should receive a “Welcome” series to gradually introduce them to purchasing, while Buyers who haven’t purchased in 90+ days need a re-engagement email to help them feel reconnected to your Farm.
Order Reminders: Leverage automated Order Reminders to drive 28%+ higher order volumes. With Barn2Door, you can 'set it and forget it,' ensuring your Farm stays top of mind without spending hours in the office.
Conclusion
Analyzing more than 10 million emails, Barn2Door has data and domain-expertise to help your Farm remove the “guesswork" from your email strategy. These five (5) tactics, covering design details to sales-driven calls-to-action, will help your Farm make more money and build a consistent base of recurring Buyers.
Barn2Door offers software for Independent Farmers to make more money, ditch the office work and look like a pro. If you’re curious to learn more, watch this 5-minute video.